A Slice of Life
by DiamondFyre1
Summary: [AU] When Naraku plays a dirty trick, Kagome finds herself facing expulsion from her beloved Shikon Academy. At first she detests smalltown life, but things aren't always what they appear to be, and Kagome's going to learn that the hard way. IK
1. Framed

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine. End of story. A.N: Hey! New story everyone ^_^! I know, a highschool fanfic. Yuck. I PROMISED myself I wouldn't write one, but this plot has been bugging me for the longest time, and I just couldn't help myself. Anyway, I'll try my hardest to make this the BEST DAMNED highschool fanfic you've seen yet (though that is highly unlikely). Anyway, I'm still going to be working on "A Whole New World" for those who read it, this is just something I'll be doing on the side. Anyway, unlike the aforementioned story, Inuyasha and Kagome aren't going to take forever and a day to meet. If all goes as planned, they'll either meet next chapter or chapter three. Anyway, enjoy!  
  
A Slice of Life  
  
Expulsion  
  
A tiny, black revolver lay flat in his hand, completely invisible to those who did not seek it. He smirked at it, relishing in the power of controlling such a formidable weapon, then stealthily crept down the hallway, careful to avoid any stray guards. His midnight black hair seemed to shine in the shadows, contrasting the dull gray suit he wore to avoid any suspicion. If anybody caught him, he could just pretend to be a janitor. Though the school was incredibly skilled at setting up its defenses, its people were very ignorant. They wouldn't suspect a thing.  
  
Slowly he crept toward his destination, ready to accept his long awaited prize. He wanted revenge for the one who had wronged him so, how dare she reject his advances? It wasn't that she was the first one to do so, as she definitely wasn't. It was the WAY she had done so, by turning him and his loyal companions in to the cops. To reject him was one thing, but to bring in his friends, let alone impose on his territory? That was quite another.  
  
No, he wasn't going to shoot her, shooting a girl was too low, even for him. Besides, he'd find it much more pleasing to watch her suffer, watch her writhe in the discomfort of inquisition, the same injustice she had inflicted on him. Oh yes, revenge would be very sweet.  
  
He grinned maliciously when he came upon his prize. Twisting the dial, he swung the locker door open quietly, making sure that no possible thud could be heard. He was so close now; he must finish the dirty deed.  
  
He shoved his hand deep into the depths of the dirty locker, pushing the revolver behind the nearest thing he could find, so it would look as if it were hidden, but also easy for an unsuspecting principal to find. It wouldn't be overwhelmingly difficult; he had quite a few connections to the prestigious school. He'd get one of his former gang members to tip the principal off, he'd do it in fear of upsetting the great Naraku. Most people lived in fear of Naraku, and though she may not have been the first to stand up to him, she was certainly the first to take such a prominent stand in the matter.  
  
Shutting the door as quietly as he had opened it, the man crept silently back down the hall, doing his best to avoid any possible human contact. It seemed that his plan went flawlessly, for he soon reached the entrance to the school and his gateway to safety. Carefully, he pushed the door open and shut it with every bit as much caution, then stalked off into the night, oblivious to the pair of eyes that followed his every move.  
  
~*~  
  
'Isn't it funny how, when everything is going perfectly, something seems astray? It's like I'm missing something, like this perfection wasn't right for me. There's some sort of hole inside that just won't let itself be filled, no matter how hard I try'.  
  
"KAGOME!" a shout called from the distance. She recognized the voice immediately but did her best to ignore it, trying to stay focused on her train of thought. She really needed to think some things over today, the weirdest thing had happened earlier.  
  
'I was just walking through the halls searching for Yuka, I swear that for the first time in forever, I actually wasn't trying to spot him at all. Yet there he came, walking up to me like we were old friends. It seems weird when you think about it; I actually don't know him at all...  
  
"Hey Kagome! How's it been?" he smiled at her, his sandy brown hair highlighting his pearly white teeth. He was about as perfect looking as they come, maybe more so, but for some reason she wasn't fazed by it. No, it was his personality that attracted her to him. From what she'd heard and seen, he was a nice, sweet, considerate boy, which was exactly what she needed to recover from her recent experience with HIM. Actually she needed therapy, but he would do for the time being.  
  
"Oh, everything's been going surprisingly well for me!" she grinned amiably up at him. "You?"  
  
"Things are fine for me too!" he answered back, chipper as always. Kagome smiled shyly and looked around nervously, searching her subconscious for a topic of conversation. The awkward tension was growing, she could feel it enveloping them like a blanket. Come on, there must be SOMETHING she could say...  
  
"So, ahhh, do you enjoy bubble baths?" she grinned lightheartedly, but mentally groaned. 'Smooth Kagome, now you're REALLY grasping at straws'.  
  
It didn't faze Hojo, or at least he didn't show it. He gave her an enlightened smile for thinking of such an interesting topic and debated over his answer. "Yes, I actually love them! I remember once, when I was little, my father was giving me a bubble bath, and I actually spilled soapy water all over him! Hah, it was hilarious! We still laugh about that till this day!" he chuckled at the memory, and Kagome forced herself to laugh along with him, though the thought of Hojo in a bubble bath just really wasn't all that appealing to her. She shook her head, after all, it SHOULD be. He was perfect for her, everything she wanted. Nice, sweet, NOT violent, and...  
  
...excessively dull?  
  
"Listen Kagome, I think you and me really have a lot in common," he placed a hand on her shoulder, and Kagome uneasily let it remain there, though she debated the option of shrugging it off. Somehow, he was a little too close for comfort, though she'd been much closer with Naraku in the past (A/N: Yes, she's still a virgin lol), but something seemed, off.  
  
"So I was wondering, would you like to go to the movies with me this Friday?"  
Now THAT question had caught Kagome totally off balance. A DATE? With HOJO? Wow, that was an unexpected start to a normally monotonous Monday. How should she react?!  
  
'Say yes, you twit,' a voice in her head nudged her. 'Come on, this is exactly what you wanted, right? You've had a crush on the boy for weeks, don't deny it! Say yes and watch that missing piece of your puzzle slide right into place. After all, things have been going perfect lately. You finally got rid of Naraku, your grade point average is higher then ever, and you're even getting along well with Souta! This will complete your picture!'  
  
"Uhm, sure. That sounds delightful!" she forced out, as cheerfully as she could manage. 'Ugh, I KNOW something's wrong when I start to use words like "delightful"'.  
  
"All right, I'll pick you up at seven then. Bye!" he turned and raced down the halls eagerly toward his Home Ec. class, leaving a stunned Kagome in his shadow. Wait a minute, he didn't even know where she lived!  
  
Or... DID he?  
  
With that disturbing thought, she ran off toward her first period class, totally in confusion over where her heart lay.  
  
~*~  
  
'I SHOULD be happy, shouldn't I? I've gotten what I've always wanted, the perfect life. Perfect friends, perfect family, and now the perfect boyfriend! So why do I feel so... incomplete?'  
  
"KAGOME!" the scream came louder this time, and she forced herself to acknowledge it.  
  
"Hey Yuka, what's up? Where's Ayumi?" she greeted with a wave of her hand, and Yuka waved it aside.  
  
"Never MIND Ayumi, WHAT HAPPENED WITH HOJO?! The whole SCHOOL has been talking about it!"  
  
"Word spreads that fast, eh?" she sighed, not feelings as pleased as she ought to with the general public knowing about the sudden new developments in her non-existent love life.  
  
"Yes! I heard," she brought her voice down to a whisper, cupping her mouth with her hand to avoid any eavesdroppers. "I heard that you accepted a date with him," she looked up at her best friend with wide eyes, daring her to confirm the rumors. Kagome gave a shrug, then a brusque nod.  
  
"Yeah, I did," she said a bit sheepishly, running a hand through her already untangled hair. "Kinda surprising, isn't it?"  
  
"OOH KAGOME!" Yuka squealed, latching onto her friend in a quick hug. "THIS IS PERFECT! Hojo is the one for you, I just know it! He's everything Naraku WASN'T, you guys are like, the perfect match! OOH, wait till Naraku finds out!" she squeezed her eyes shut and stomped her small foot in glee. "This is great! I have to go tell Ayumi, later!" she released Kagome and ran off, intent on telling her companion the shocking news.  
  
'What's gotten into her?' Kagome shrugged, then walked off toward her final period of the day, Study Hall. 'Good, now I can take some time to think,' she felt relieved, nobody actually cared what you did in study hall, so long as no maniacal creep went nuts and chucked bombs at everyone. Thinking was definitely allowed, though, and Kagome felt her spirits lift at such an opportunity. Taking her seat, she lay her head down on her desk, letting her thoughts turn in a million different directions.  
  
'It just feels like, like this isn't where I belong. I don't mean because I'm not advanced enough to be here, though sometimes I wonder if that's true too,' she giggled at that. 'But I don't just mean academically, I mean, well, I'm not exactly sure what I mean. I just have this unmistakable feeling that I was never meant to be here, that this isn't where I belong. I've always felt this way actually, ever since mom gave me the astonishing news that I'd been accepted. Sure I was excited, heck, I was ecstatic! But somehow, it just didn't feel right. It still doesn't, but now that everything is basically perfect, the feeling's gotten worse,' she sighed gloomily into her forearms, oblivious to the constant nudges being administered on her shoulder.  
  
"Ms. Higurashi?" an older female voice attempted to draw the girl out of her dreams, her voice layered with scorn. Why did everyone feel the need to use study hall as another version of kindergarten naptime?  
  
"Ms. Higurashi!" the voice said, a bit more forcefully, causing said girl to jump out of her seat, embarrassment clouding her cheeks.  
  
"Um, yes Ms. Isusaki?" she gulped nervously, her cheeks growing a bit red as a few heads turned toward her, staring her down. Most of the students just kept their eyes either shut or trained on some inanimate object, though she expected their minds were a million miles away, and she was thankful for that luxury.  
  
"The principal wishes to see you. Bring your things, you won't be back before the end of the period," she stated bluntly, then turned back toward the front of the classroom. This new tidbit caused a few more heads to turn; after all, this school was pretty lax. People didn't get called up unless they had done something horrendous, minor offenses were to be dealt with by the teachers, who hardly even taught let alone disciplined.  
  
Subconsciously tucking a strand of hair behind her ears, she strolled timidly toward the front of the classroom, swinging her bright yellow backpack across her shoulders as she did so. She did her best to ignore the prying eyes that followed her, though her steps quickened at the prospect of losing the interest of her fellow students as soon as possible.  
  
'I wonder what I did,' she pondered to herself as she made her way toward the office. 'I haven't done anything ever since that incident with Naraku, and that wasn't even my fault, I didn't KNOW they were drugs. Besides, I turned him into the police for that, and things were already straightened out with the principal! That can't be it!' she solidified the thought in her mind. 'But then, what?'  
  
She paused outside the office, her hand lingering on the polished doorknob. A lot of students who had entered here had come out with their heads down, ashamed of the crimes they had committed and upset with the outcomes. Kagome didn't really want to BE one of those people, especially seeing as she hadn't done anything.  
  
'But I HAVEN'T done anything. That's the whole point! There's no way I could be in here for discipline!' with new resolve, she pushed open the door, timidly making her way into the room and sinking into a soft, satin chair. The material pricked at her skin a bit, but she could ignore it. Classy furniture never really appealed to her.  
  
She had never seen the principal's office before, and she had to admit, it was pretty boring. A few crumpled certificates were hung over the neatly painted cream walls, and a wooden desk sat in the middle of it all, complete with laptop, bundles of papers, and a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Not exactly as elaborate as her expectations, but then, with an imagination like hers, not much ever was.  
  
The chair opposite hers slowly spun around, and she imagined the villain from Inspector Gadget turning around in the exact same fashion. They actually looked alike, too, except the principal wasn't stroking a cat. That would've been TOO weird.  
  
"Greetings, Ms. Higurashi," the voice said coldly, with a hint of professionalism. She shuddered at the voice, she was pretty sure she wouldn't like where this conversation was going.  
  
"Uh, hi Mr. Goshinki sir," she swallowed, allowing her hands to rest in between her knobby knees and her backpack to shield her back from the discomfort of the chair. She did her best to appear innocent of whatever crime she had supposedly committed, then realized that feigning innocence would only make her look guilty. Unsure of what would make her look innocent; she contrived to look as nonchalant as she possibly could.  
  
"I'm sure you know why you are here," he said just as icily, and she shook her head in earnest.  
  
"Not really, no," she replied honestly, now REALLY not liking where the conversation was headed.  
  
"Hmmm," the man twiddled his fingers, his cold, brown eyes lighting up. "So, care to explain this little treasure?" he held out his palm to her, and her heart leapt into her throat at the sight.  
  
She was staring at a gun.  
  
"M-Mr. Goshinki, what has this got to do with me?" she stammered, a bit terrified to tell the truth. Goshinki was an intimidating man at the best of times, and this was WITHOUT a revolver. Mr. Goshinki smirked at her.  
  
"Don't try to play games, Ms. Higurashi, the gun was found in your locker".  
  
"My-my locker?" she stuttered dumbly, trying to process the information. No, he couldn't have...  
  
But he did.  
  
"Mr. Goshinki, surely you don't believe it was me. It must've been Naraku, you know he has it out for me and-," she was cut off by the sneering principal.  
  
"Naraku. He seems to be your excuse for everything, no? Come now, don't try to fool me. It's quite easy to piece together what happened. You felt guilty about what you did to that beloved Naraku of yours, so you denied your own fault in the matter and sought me out, trying to lay the blame on me and rid your conscience of the guilt. I do not fall so easily, Ms. Higurashi. You'll have to do better then that".  
  
Kagome stared at him with a gaping mouth, her chocolate eyes brimming with tears. NARAKU, how COULD he? "Mr. Goshinki, you don't understand. It wasn't me, I swear, I don't even know where to GET a gun, let alone how to use one!" she pleaded desperately, with an offense like that there was only one possible punishment...  
  
Mr. Goshinki's only response was a dark chuckle, thickened with waves of contempt. Kagome felt herself tense up as she awaited the words she dreaded more then anything, the words that she'd never even dreamed would be directed towards her. "Ms. Higurashi, you are hereby expelled from Shikon Academy".  
  
'Oh shit...'.  
  
A/N: Did you enjoy? No? Well you know what to do! (for those who are incompetent: REVIEW DAMNIT!) Hah, just kidding! ;-)....... I'll update A.S.A.P. Until then! 


	2. Resistance is Futile

Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha!  
  
A/N: I seem to be suffering from a horrible fit of writer's block lately. Yuck. Anyway, I can't think of much else to say other then I've thought of a bloody brilliant new idea for a fic, but I don't want to start it until A Whole New World is finished. Rats.  
  
"Kagome Higurashi, I am ashamed to be your mother. Now you know I've raised you better then this; what on Earth could've possessed you to do such a thing?" her mom curled her lip in exasperation, trying and failing to understand what heinous crine she'd committed to turn her once sugary sweet daughter into such a rebellious teen. Where had she gone wrong? She had always gone by the books, never once straying to severe disciplinary methods of any kind. In that sense she'd always been a good mother, but, unbeknownst to her, there were other aspects of hers that made her a less then desirable maternal figure.  
  
Kagome fidgeted nervously under her mother's scrutiny, shifting back and forth on the hard wooden chair and twiddling her fingers as she often did to hide her anxiety. "Mom, I already told you, it wasn't me! Where would I have even gotten a gun anyhow? It must've been Naraku; there's no other explanation!" Kagome countered, praying that just this once her mother would believe something she'd normally consider a "fabricated tale".  
  
"Kagome, don't play mind games with me. I'm tired of this; you used to be such a sweet girl, always helping out and being kind. What happened Kagome?" her mother cried desperately, wanting so badly to pinpoint the source of this sudden change within her daughter, to discover that it WASN'T her fault, that she was still a decent mother. She couldn't bare the thought of failing in her position.  
  
Kagome shrugged in defeat. "Nothing changed, mom, I'm still the same as I've always been. I was framed by Naraku, end of story. Why can't you believe me?" she sighed, her voice void of any emotion, for she knew that no matter how much she tried, her mother would never listen. She never had, especially since the whole incident with Naraku.  
  
"Oh?" Ms. Higurashi's voice lowered dangerously. "So that's why you were gallivanting all over town with some psycho drug dealer? That's why the principal found a gun in your locker? Because you were being "normal"?" her voice was barely audible, but that made it all the more powerful and frightening to young Kagome, who at this poing was biting her lip in earnest.  
  
"Mom! I thought we got over this!" she jumped up, her fiery temper once again tightening its hold upon her. She just couldn't accept it this time, though this behavior within her mother was nothing new. Why wasn't she trustworthy in her mother's eyes? Sure she had been angry after the incident with Naraku, any normal mother would be. But Kagome had explained everything to her, set the matter straight, and she was sure that her dear mom would never even think to speak of the experience again. It was too haunting, full of bad memories for her and her daughter alike.  
  
'Souta is different,' she glowered angrily. 'After all, he's mommy's little boy. Everything he does is good and perfect, and everything I do is rebellious and idiotic. I swear, she's obsessed with this stupid teenaged stereotype. When is she ever just going to accept that I'm NOT some rebellious party slut?'  
  
"KAGOME! Don't you DARE use that tone with me young lady!" she pointed her finger at the younger girl threateningly, and while Kagome was rather frightened, she certainly did her best to hide it. Calmly she stood up straight, squaring her shoulders, and marched straight up to her mother with an air of disdain for such an unforgiving woman.  
  
"Too bad," she whispered softly, and her mother clenched her fists in anger, willing herself to keep a lid on her temper. Apparently she wasn't very good at such things, for her temper sped out of its prison mere seconds after.  
  
"THAT'S IT!" her mother roared angrily, thrashing her arms about. "DO YOU WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A PRISON CELL, KAGOME? YOU'VE GOT TO GET YOUR PRIORITES STRAIGHTENED OUT!!"  
  
"Mom, calm down," Kagome soothed, bringing her hands down to her lap and locking gazes with her mother, her own pleading intently with her mother's to settle down a bit.  
  
Her mother hesitated for a moment, then sunk into her chair with a weary sigh, her dark brown eyes shut loosely in a cloaked sadness.  
  
"Mom?" Kagome reached out a hand tentatively toward her mother, but she batted it away with a hand of her own.  
  
"Kagome, listen to me," she tilted the younger girl's chin up toward her own. "You're a beautiful girl with the brains and talent to outdo almost everybody in that damned prep school of yours. I don't want to see that talent be thrown to the wayside in exchange for the vile situations that you've been engaging yourself in," she said quietly, then took a deep breath, as if preparing for the difficult decision. "Kagome, I'm sending you to your Aunt Kaede's," she leaned back into her chair, trembling with a few tears at the thought of losing her dear daughter, but she understood that sometimes the best things were the hardest to accept.  
  
Kagome gasped in horror and drew back from her mother. "Mom, NO! I don't want to go to Aunt Kaede's!" her eyes were threatening to overflow with tears. "She lives in that insanely boring little town; the cows there outnumber the people, and they have livelier personalities too! PLEASE MOM," she begged, a few tears spilling down her cheeks. "I love you; don't make me do this!"  
  
Her mom gave a resolute sigh, then braced a shaky hand upon the back of the chair to brace herself, pulling her trembling legs up to support her. "Kagome, I love you too. But this is for the best; I really think you need this. I'm sorry, but this decision is final. Pack your bags, you'll be leaving tomorrow and starting at a new school next Monday," she trudged out of the room, turning over her shoulder one last time, her sorrowful gaze landing on the crying girl behind her. "Do good, Kagome," she smiled softly. "Make me proud".  
  
~*~  
  
"So it's true?" Yuka wailed unhappily. "You're really leaving us? You're really leaving ME?" her sobs littered the phone line, and Kagome couldn't help but follow her lead.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry Yuka. If I had any choice in the matter, I'd stay here forever! But you know Naraku; he was probably banking on me leaving so that nobody here would recognize his crimes, then he could just commit more," a dry smile lit up under her clouded tears.  
  
"BUT NOW YOU WON'T GET TO DATE HOJO!" Yuka howled, her entire body shaking with sobs as she collapsed to her knees. Though she couldn't see it, Kagome was rolling her eyes in agony at the crying girl. Sure she was a fabulous best friend, but sometimes her shallowness would overpower her normally flawless personality, and Kagome had just accepted that her friend and she were different in that aspect. They remained as close as ever, but Kagome couldn't help but discreetly wonder if it was her Yuka would miss or her link to Hojo.  
  
"Oh, please Yuka. Hojo is the LAST thing on my mind, believe me. Besides, if you like him so much, why don't YOU just ask him out yourself? I'm sure he'd be happy to have you," Kagome grinned with another playful roll of her eyes, the tears long forgotten as Yuka shrieked happily on the other end of the line.  
  
"So you mean you wouldn't be mad?" she asked hopefully, and Kagome shook her head, then realized with a slap of the head that Yuka couldn't see the gesture.  
  
"Nope, go right ahead. Though you certainly don't sound too upset about getting me out of the picture anymore," Kagome laughed dryly, and Yuka smiled in guilty shame.  
  
"Oh, Kagome, of course I'm going to miss you! My god, who else am I going to turn to for positive reinforcement when I find out my cutest jeans don't fit anymore? You're my best friend!" she sighed woefully. "Look, if this is Naraku's fault then we're in this together. We'll make him pay for this, mark my words, revenge is sweet!" she screeched triumphantly, and Kagome couldn't help but chuckle at Yuka's antics.  
  
"Yes, especially the second time around," Kagome laughed deliciously at the thought of putting that dastardly Naraku in his place a second time. "But in all seriousness, I'll miss you too, O.K? I'll call you every day, I promise! And I think I'm keeping my instant messenger too!" she squealed happily, which was soon followed by another happy shriek from Yuka.  
  
"That's perfect! It'll almost be like I'm there with you!" she laughed brightly, oblivious to Kagome's silence.  
  
"If only you were," Kagome sighed wistfully. "If only you were..."  
  
~*~  
  
Kagome threw her enormous green flowered suitcase into the trunk of her mother's blue Toyota, dragging her feet as she made her way to the dreaded space inside. She swallowed back her tears, trying her hardest not to remember the touching events of the evening before. As soon as she'd hung up with a sobbing Yuka, Eri and Ayumi had run to her house in anxious worry, bearing good-bye gifts and tearful speeches. Soon after, Hojo had arrived, bringing with him a token of good fortune, which turned out to be a shiny pink jewel that Kagome sported around her neck at the very moment. She sighed and turned around, propping her slim form up on her knees and crossing her arms over the trunk of her car. She shot a stony gaze at the world behind her, as Yuka, Eri, Ayumi, and Hojo stood there waving, blowing kisses, and making other miscellaneous gestures, some laughing and some crying. Fingering the jewel around her neck, Kagome gave an awkward wave as the car engine sputtered to life.  
  
With one final wave, a tear slid steadily down her cheek as she uttered the few words she had been afraid of ever since she laid eyes on that dark, cold revolver, as it seemed to be emitting a sense of forebording evil from its very being. Even if it was no more then a gun, it felt like the life was being slowly drained from her body and seeping onto the floor in puddles of tears. With a tearful gaze toward the small crowd of people she'd grown up with, spent her entire life passing notes to and attending gatherings with, she held up a hand in a good-bye wave, then sunk her head onto her hands in sorrowful tears.  
  
'Good-bye....'.  
  
The car ride remained utterly silent, neither her nor her mother felt like insinuating any conversation. She tried to read the emotions dancing across her mother's face, but found that she couldn't, for too many seemed to be writhing in confusion. Kagome snorted sarcastically, if her mother thought SHE was confused, she should take a walk in HER shoes.  
  
How could things have changed so fast? How could it be that, just twenty-four hours ago, she was drooling through her math class thinking about whether she should accept a date with some brain-dead boy? It seemed like such a typical teenaged-girl thing to do now that her problems had certainly enlarged and grown much more pressing. After all, now she had to start over in an entirely new world, an entirely new life! Not to mention she'd be living with her Aunt Kaede, who was quite possibly the most dull human to inhabit this planet. Even a night with Hojo sounded like a daring adventure in comparison to an eternity with Aunt Kaede. She'd just have to make sure that she was "conveniently" out of the house whenever good ol' Aunt Kaede came 'round to visit.  
  
But, aside from that, who would she be out with? You always hear all these chick-flick tales of teenaged girls moving to a new place, trying to be accepted, and failing horribly at every occasion. She REALLY didn't want to be unwillingly placed in such a category, but what choice did she have?  
  
'It's all that idiot Naraku's fault,' she fumed quietly, narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms as she threw herself against the leather interior of the car, curling her lip as she blew up her bangs. 'I'll find a way to get back at him for this, just you wait. Yuka and me are an unbeatable team!" she made a triumphant gesture with her fist, causing her mother cock her head while peering in the mirror which gave her ample viewing access to all of Kagome's antics. Said girl suddenly halted all movement and threw herself back in her seat once again, banging her raven black hair against the headrest with a thump.  
  
The hours passed by monotonously as Kagome nervously anticipated her new life. So what if they were going to the most reclusive and secluded town in all of Japan? What did that matter? It was still a new start, and Kagome was nervous as hell. What if her Aunt Kaede was really part of the mafia, going incognito as a dull old woman with back problems? Heck, she could be one of Naraku's men, intent on delivering her to the boss himself, but not before having his way with her.  
  
"Augghh, stop the mental pictures!' Kagome squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to block the disturbing picture of a naked Aunt Kaede from swirling around in her corrupted mind.  
  
The car suddenly skidded to a stop, and Kagome glanced up for the first time during the six hour drive. She drew in a breath as she took in the scenery around her, which was absolutely breathtaking in her standards.  
  
Fields stretched out in every direction, surrounding the suburban homes that ran down the narrow street in such a way that made you believe you were standing amidst an old Victorian town, and Kagome (being a romantic) let her imagination run away with her as she imagined herself in a billowing green Victorian dress, gracefully making her toward the front doorstep of one of these adorable houses, daintily holding a flowered parasol above her head with a serene smile resting upon her lips. She would love to stay and bask in the tasteful vision all day but...  
  
"Kagome?" her mother nudged her shoulder gently.  
  
Reality swirled back into focus, and Kagome gave a curt nod toward the woman before grabbing her bags and slowly trailing after her shaking mother toward one of the quainter houses. She unlocked the latch on the dull blue gate before softly beginning the melancholy walk toward the front doorstep. She felt as if she were taking her final, condemned steps toward the electric chair, and did her best to act the part. With her head held up high, she rapped her knuckles on the door a few times before it slid open to reveal a plump older woman wearing a scowl across her leathered cheeks.  
  
Aunt Kaede.  
  
At this her mother finally broke, breaking into sobs before enveloping her daughter in a bone-crushing hug, tears trailing onto Kagome's snowy white sweater. She tenderly reciprocated her mother's gesture, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and back, rocking back and forth in the beat of the rushing wind that seemed to swirl around them. For a mere moment, time stopped, allowing these two a chance at reconciliation, breaking the barriers that had torn them apart for so long. But alas, it was too late, and though both were having second thoughts about this hasty decision, they knew it had to be done. It was for the best.  
  
"Good-bye...Kagome," her mother whispered into her hair, whirling around in the blink of an eye and stumbling toward the car in a blind haste, tears spilling from her cheeks and trailing behind her. An astonished Kaede fixated her gaze upon her dear sister, trying to will her to turn around and return to her, she knew that taking care of a rebellious fifteen year old hadn't been on the woman's "to-do list". But any such connection seemed to shatter as the door of the car slammed shut and as the engine roared to life, the vehicle shot forward and off into the night, seeming to droop in the absence of Kagome just the way her mother had.  
  
And Kagome shattered as well as she reached out a hand, trying to pull on the invisible strings and bring back the last connection toward her life and world, she wasn't ready for this, she didn't want to be alone.  
  
But as the car sped off, Kagome sank back, a sinking feeling gnawing at the depths of her heart. She was gone. She was gone, and she wasn't coming back.  
  
A/N: A bit depressing for a highschool fic, I know. But things will get more interesting next chapter, where Inuyasha and Kagome will meet for the very first time! 


	3. Sundae

Disclaimer: Inuyasha's not mine. Blech....  
  
A/N: I WAS gonna put this on hiatus, but for some reason I just felt like updating today, and I couldn't get the new ideas flowing outta my head. So I'll just continue to update this as I see fit, but once A Whole New World is finished I can concentrate more.... though Shades of Gray will be my first priority.  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Sundae  
  
It was a monotonously average Sunday afternoon in the near invisible suburban town of Tanaka. The sun peeked out over the impending clouds, beating down upon the heads of traveling civilians and passer-bys with their heads kept down and their feet pounding an unsteady rhythm against the damp pavement. A lone tree swept overhead, looking very regal amidst the single story buildings and green, puffy bushes, but Kagome remained undaunted by it. After all, the calm serenity of this place couldn't even be compared the noisy, bustling streets of Tokyo, full of lively citizens going about their respective business with briefcases in hand, but their heads still lowered and their feet still moving at an impressive speed. It seemed to Kagome that, no matter where you went, people were always hurrying. Hurrying for school, hurrying for their doctor's appointment, or just plain hurrying about for no valid reason; it didn't matter what the circumstances. Everybody just plain seemed to conform to the societal trend of hurrying every which way, never taking the time to drink in and appreciate the natural beauties around them.  
  
And at this precise moment, Kagome's aesthetic sense wasn't functioning particularly well either, the swaying of the trees or the whisper of the wind seemed to be the last things on the troubled girl's mind. She dug her toes into the gutter, which for whatever reason seemed to be absent of any rainwater. With a sigh, her head sank onto her hands as she sat dismally on the curb's edge, willing any passing bus to ram her and be done with it. Her will to live was slowly disappearing, though she was not so idiotic as to think even for a moment that her problems were anything particularly extreme. After all, there WERE starving homeless people in third world countries, but since Kagome couldn't really be bothered with helping them at the moment, they'd just have to wait. She had her own selfish whims to deal with.  
  
"Bored, bored bored," she muttered softly as her head lolled to the left, her feet tapping an unfamiliar melody into the dust. Her raven locks seemed to sway a bit in time with the wind, but Kagome didn't seem to care about or even acknowledge the usually annoying gesture. In fact, she didn't really seem to be acknowledging much of anything at all. She was too busy drifting off into her own world of melancholy thoughts.  
  
It had been only the previous Wednesday that she'd been sent to this dismal and dreary town, and Kagome despised every minute of it. No, not sent. Unwillingly dropped on her ass seemed to suit the situation to a T.  
  
She was supossed to start school the following day, but really, did she even care? It wasn't as if life would miraculously improve the minute she strolled through the high school doors, not if television was supposed to be a tasteful sample of the real world. She understood how ridiculous it would be to believe everything you may read or hear, but she knew enough to deduct that her welcome wouldn't be embraced with open arms.  
  
Though, strangely, hearty welcomes had been all she'd received since her arrival here. While she'd barely spoken even two words to the stoically silent Kaede, the door had almost been knocked off its hinges from all the vigorous knocking being administered upon it. At least four people had arrived bearing gifts and greetings, anywhere from a jelly pudding to fuzzy green zebra slippers. She had to admit that the jelly pudding was scrumptious, though the slippers would probably be shoved into a dark storage closet somewhere in Switzerland, but Shippo (she thought that'd been the kid's name anyhow) didn't have to know that.  
  
Really, it had been strangely unnerving to greet all of these enthusiastic visitors, seeing as it was definitely different from the Tokyo custom she was used to of totally ignoring new people until they'd been in town at least a few weeks. When she'd first moved there, nobody had talked to her until her dear friend Eri's family had moved in across the block, making her the fresh "new kid" and Kagome a resident old-timer. She'd made sure to be especially kind to Eri, however, for she knew what the cruel conduct of the "silent treatment" could do to you.  
  
"Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name," she hummed softly to herself, tapping a ratty sneaker to the beat. "And they're always glad you came..," she trailed off with a giggle. Oh, how she'd miss her cable T.V.  
  
Out of the blue, a blur of dark matter shot up from the dusty road behind her, seemingly halting in midair above her head. With a high- pitched shriek, she threw her hands over her head and darted to the side, just barely grazing the rough material above her, which she now recognized as the bottom of a skateboard complete with a hot-shot surly skateboarder smirking cockily at the dazed girl.  
  
"Sorry about that, miss," he feigned apology, though you could tell he was trying his hardest to sound convincing. Maybe kindness just didn't come natural to certain people, but Kagome shrugged off the uneasy tension plummeting into her heart. The man from above held out a hand to the fallen girl, which she gripped steadily as she allowed herself to be pulled to shaky feet. With a rueful grin, she held out her opposite hand toward the man, deciding it couldn't hurt to accept all opportunities for friendship, especially in new experiences such as these.  
  
"Kagome Higurashi," she tried to keep her voice from quivering. Her customary shyness was beginning to harness its grip on her, and she had to battle her hardest to keep from giving in. She smiled up at the man once again, relieved to see that his hand was shooting out to reciprocate the shake.  
  
"Kouga. Nice to meet you," he tipped an imaginary hat. "So, you're the fresh meat, huh?" he smiled, but she couldn't help but notice that the smile just seemed a little too patronized.  
  
"If you mean the new girl, then yes, it would be me," she shook her hair back nervously. "I moved here from Tokyo just a few days ago".  
  
"Excellent," he nodded coolly, and Kagome couldn't help but envy the confidence he seemed to ooze. Though she couldn't see his eyes under the bulky black helmet, she was confident that they were probably a piercing blue, or else a deep, murky brown. Either way, she was certain that they were full of charm and had a natural sparkle for life. Call it a 6th sense, but it had always been quite easy for her to decipher those sorts of things about people, especially strangers. "You goin to Tama High?" he studied her quizzically as she gave a jerky nod.  
  
"Yup, I'm starting there tomorrow," she grinned lightheartedly, and he couldn't help but return the infectious gesture.  
  
"Coolness. So I guess I'll be seein ya then. I'm off to board with some of the gang, you wanna come meet 'em?" he dropped his board out from under his armpit and leapt on it without so much as a single flinch. Kagome couldn't deny that the boy had style.  
  
"Nah, s'ok. I think I'm just gonna stay here for awhile," her smile was beginning to feel rather plastic, and she hurriedly waved the boy out of sight. "See you during school!" she called out eagerly, and the boy returned her wave absently as he concentrated his efforts on wheelies down the road, she supposed trying to impress her.  
  
'That or I really am becoming too conceited for my own good,' she thought dryly, turning in the direction which she had arrived from only minutes earlier to begin the long trudge back home. Truthfully, she wasn't in the mood for pleasantries, and the sooner she could arrive home and take a five hour nap, the better. She sighed drearily and ambled morosely down the road, glancing backwards toward the receding dust every so often. She was feeling awfully hungry, and she had yet to come upon any sort of eatery in this entire sad excuse for a town.  
  
"How the heck do people eat around here?" she glanced around, a last hope for some sort of nourishment lingering within her. Her eyes lit up brightly as she spotted a tiny ice cream shop resting on the corner of the road, which, other then a real estate agency and a poor looking bowling alley, seemed to be the only structure around for a mile at least. A new skip in her step, she sauntered up to the front doorway, a small amount of her amiable demeanor renewed at the concept of a frosty, gooey ice cream cone. She pulled open the drab looking front door without much effort on her part, and basked in the front entryway for a minute or so, relishing the feeling of the air conditioner running full blast as it tussled her raven hair.  
  
After a minute of drowning in the cool, she strolled into the ice cream parlor, her purse thumping casually against her side. Her eyes lit up delightedly, and her face broke into a jubilant grin as she took in the sights around her. This looked just like one of those American diners she'd visited with her mother only three years ago! A few stools sat before a checkered counter, each supporting an eagerly chattering student among them, though Kagome felt no inclination to go near. She didn't recognize a single one of these people from her little welcoming crew, and she had no intention of humiliating herself in front of strangers just yet. Besides, these people didn't look particularly approachable anyhow.  
  
Her gaze lingered on the happy-go-lucky men behind the counter as they chattered away just as enthusiastically, occasionally chiming in to the conversations of the students, who listened attentively to them as if they were all gossiping high schoolers and not balding forty year old men. She wasn't sure whether to be impressed or revolted by the sight, but then decided that the thought of a city where everybody felt comfortable and associated with one another frequently was actually quite endearing and yet baffling at the same time. In her short time here, she had yet to see any fighting, hatred, crime, or even a tiny argument between friends. It wasn't as if she'd come from a criminal induced city where the crime rate rose nearly as high as the population, but compared to the pleasant demeanors she'd witnessed here, she might as well have lived in a crime infested city with street gangs and thugs around every corner.  
  
Her eyes traveled to the walls, whose paint seemed to be peeling by the day, as half the wall was white and the other half seemed to be naught more then wood, but it wasn't this that caught the curious girl's eyes. Scattered posters littered the edges of the walls, strewn in nearly every corner or free space. Only one large gap appeared, and on a second glance, Kagome saw that the gap was none other then a windowpane. She strolled timidly toward the posters, for some reason they felt intimidating and yet intriguing at the same time. Truthfully, she didn't understand why she felt anything at all, they were mere pieces of paper after all, but even her logical head couldn't stop her imploring curiosity from exploring whatever it wished.  
  
The first poster she glanced at had the face of a startlingly pretty girl drawn in the center, and Kagome couldn't help but notice the evident similarities to her own. Shrugging the matter off as mere coincidence, she glanced beneath the striking picture to read the text below. In large black ink, calligraphy lettering was sprinkled across the page, and Kagome knew in a second that whoever had been in charge of the calligraphy had done an awful job. After a few more glances, she was finally able to decipher the contents of the poster, having to stifle her laughter once she could read it allowed.  
  
"Don't be a freak-yo, vote for Kikyo!" she choked out between giggles, shocked that anybody could think up such an awful campaign slogan. Turning her gaze to the poster beside it, she found she couldn't contain her giggles and clutched her sides in hearty laughter.  
  
"Kikyo is a fine woman, but if she can't do it, Yura can!" she laughed harder. She wasn't blaming the candidates for this, for she understood how campaign managers worked, but she felt sorry for whatever organization they happened to be running for. Their group would probably go to ruins in a two day time span, and even that would be pushing the limits.  
  
The sound of a bell tinkled behind her, signaling the arriver of a newcomer, though nobody seemed to pay him any heed. She shrugged and turned back to the posters, glancing at each one in turn, and noting with a mixture of displeasure and amusement that each one was more ridiculous then the last.  
  
She'd just gotten past "VOTE FOR ME OR DIE, DAMNIT!" when a hand tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to whirl around and try to suppress her giggles at the same time. She found the task was impossible, however, when she found herself looking into the same amber orbs featured on the "VOTE FOR ME OR DIE" poster she'd been glancing at only moments ago. Choking in a fit of laughter, she ignored the raising of a quizzical eyebrow before her, as the boy slowly began to back away from the chuckling girl.  
  
"O.K, you're a nut then...," he muttered softly, not exactly frightened, but not exactly at ease. Kagome seemed to sober for a second, placing a hand over her heart to catch her breath before easing toward the somewhat perturbed boy.  
  
"I love your campaign slogan," she teased gently. "Really inspiring and all that".  
  
He gave a sarcastic chuckle before looking back at the girl, slightly confused. "I'm not running, dimwit, that spot's for girls and wussies. That's my brother Sesshomaru you were gawking at, not me," he finished smugly, noting in satisfaction that a somewhat embarrassed flush seemed to spread across the girl's cheeks, though it disappeared within seconds of its debut.  
  
He slid into a booth and gestured for her to sit across from him, which she did without hesitation. "So, what's your name anyhow?" he feigned polite conversation.  
  
"Kagome Higurashi, but judging by your expression, you don't really give a shit. So tell me, what exactly ARE all those nutcases running for, anyhow?" he was startled at her accuracy, but as usual, didn't give off even a single vibe that he was even slightly impressed.  
  
"Them? They're all running for Student Council, president of the Student Council, actually. Don't let those horrific posters fool you, though, quite a few of them are fairly bright students. They're campaign managers are the dunces," he laughed patronizingly, and Kagome raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Who's your brother's campaign manager, then?" she inquired curiously, cocking her head to one side.  
  
"Me," he answered shortly, either unaware of what he'd just implied, or clearly undaunted by it.  
  
"Ahhhh," she answered wisely, but Inuyasha could hear the underlying sarcasm in her voice. He rolled his eyes at her, but decided it would be best to drop the subject completely.  
  
"So anyway, where'd you move here from again?" he attempted to steer the topic away from himself, and luckily she took the bait.  
  
"Tokyo," she said bluntly, not in the mood to get all talkative. She was feeling somewhat drowsy, all she really wanted was to lie down on a bed and take that five hour nap of hers...  
  
"Tokyo? I used to live there when I was younger," he shrugged. "Sure is different here, ain't it?" now THERE was a subject she could relate to. Suddenly looking a lot more interested in the conversation, she nodded her head jerkily before pulling herself up to a sitting position, her head evacuating from its previous spot upon the table.  
  
"Yes, to a ridiculous extent! Over there, everything is so lively and bustling and full of action and life! Over here, everybody seems friendly and sweet and just about perfect. I'm beginning to wonder if you're all drones. Where's the action? Where's the adventure?" she slammed her fist upon the table a few times subconsciously. Inuyasha chuckled inwardly, he was liking this girl's temper already, if she was this riled up over something so small, maybe he'd finally found a person with a temper to match his own fiery one.  
  
"Things won't be so different once you go to school tomorrow. You'll see," he shrugged indifferently. "School can be as ruthless here as it would be in any city, maybe even one as large as Tokyo".  
  
"How many students? And how'd ya know I was going to YOUR school, anyhow?" she narrowed her eyes accusingly. Why did everybody here seem to know everything about her private life?  
  
"I'm not really sure. About two thousand, I think," he ignored her surprised gasp. "And I only knew because that old bat of yours is my tutor; she told me about your situation and told me to keep a lookout for you at school," he smirked. "So tell me, what was it like dealing drugs?" his smirk grew wider as her temper seemed to spark, just what he had been hoping for.  
  
"I WASN'T DEALING DRUGS!" her scream could've attracted attention from her friends back in Tokyo, never mind the tiny ice cream parlor. The clerks and a few worried students turned toward her warily, and she blushed, burying her face into her arms. After a few minutes of awkward silence, the students finally engaged back in their conversations, Kagome no different. "I wasn't dealing drugs, you incompetent asshole," she'd lowered her voice considerably by this point. "I was helping to transport them, and I didn't even know I was doing it. I was being used, and I'm the one who ended up turning the whole lot of them into the police once I found out," she narrowed her eyes when she noticed his poorly suppressed chuckles. "And don't use that patronizing tone with me, you jerk, I know your kind. You'll do anything to get under people's skin. You're like one of those annoying mosquitoes that just won't quit biting!" she finished sourly, glaring at the boy, who seemed slightly annoyed at her accusations.  
  
"Hey wench, don't go crying to me just because you're too weak to 'fess up to the past. Honestly, if it'd been me, I'd have fuckin bragged about it to anybody who came within two feet, and here you are making every damned excuse you can think of," he crossed his arms. "You're not really the girl I thought you were," he remarked callously, ignoring the fiery anger dancing in the girl's wide brown pupils.  
  
"And you're obviously not the kind gentlemen I'd thought you to be, you sad excuse for a human!" she sprang out of her seat rather suddenly, flippantly throwing her purse back over her shoulder before sauntering toward the doorway, her head held high. "I'm going home, jerk!" she spewed crossly, her anger even more fueled by his next words.  
  
"Hey wench, your shoelace is untied," she glanced down at her feet only to see that the boy was indeed, correct, her shoelaces were spilling all over the ground. Somewhat flustered, she waved a hand behind her, dismissing all contact with the boy.  
  
"Maybe I like it that way," she muttered, not sure herself whether she was talking about a shoelace or lack of contact. She scowled furiously; did he really think she couldn't hear the sadistic laughter floating through the cracks in the dusty door?  
  
"See you at school!" his shout invaded her thoughts, and she whirled around, bristling when she saw he had already long since passed. She vaguely wondered how he'd managed to move so fast, but dismissed the thoughts. She had matters much more pressing weighing heavily on her mind at the moment...  
  
School for instance. 


End file.
